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Obama: I’ll Buy A Chevy Volt After My Presidency Ends

March 2, 2012 10:23 AM

US President Barack Obama gets out of an electric Chevy Volt following a groundbreaking ceremony for Compact Power's new advanced battery factory in Holland, Michigan, July 15, 2010. The plant will build batteries for electric vehicles including the Chevrolet Volt and Ford Focus. AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

(credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

Ever since Barack Obama became president in 2008, he hasn’t been given much chance to drive a car, let alone own one.

But when his presidency ends, Mr. Obama knows exactly what car he wants to buy as his post-presidential ride — a plug-in Chevrolet Volt.

“Five years from now when I’m not president anymore, I’ll buy one and drive it myself,” Obama promised 1,600 auto workers at a United Auto Workers union event in Detroit on Tuesday.

Back in July 2010, President Obama visited the Compact Power battery plant in Holland, Michigan, where he was given his first real Volt experience.

A few weeks later, Obama visited General Motor’s Detroit Hamtramck Facility where the Volt is built. He even got a chance to sit behind the wheel of a pre-production Volt and drive it 10 feet — but due to security concerns, didn’t get much further.

“The Secret Service wouldn’t let me drive it. But I liked sitting in it,” The President told the assembled audience. “It was nice. I’ll bet it drives real good.”

Obama’s promise to buy a Volt when his presidency ends will no doubt lead to significant criticism from right-leaning networks like Fox, whose dislike of the President is only matched by its dislike of Chevy’s plug-in hybrid car.

If Obama sticks to his word, his Volt will be the first Chevy he’s owned. According to The Detroit News, Previous Obama cars have included a Ford Escape Hybrid, Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

But even if Obama does buy a Volt, don’t expect him to be driving around in a current generation car.

If his presidency extends to a second term, it will be 2016 before the Obama family looks for its next car.

Given the average length of time cars are produced before a major revision, we’re betting Obama’s car — if a Volt — won’t be the same generation car rolling off the production lines today.

The President’s open endorsement of the Volt will no doubt continue to drive political commentary for some time to come, but it has got us thinking.

If you were the President of the U.S., what car would you choose when you left office, and why?